Automatic lubricator.



No 733,382 PATENTED JULY 14, 190s. A. A. FREEMAN AUTOMATIC LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1902. N0 MODEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1A jizfizeaaea: M

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PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

A. A. FREEMAN.

AUTOMATIC LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT A. FREEMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW 'JEEsEY.

AUTOMATIC LUBRlCATOR..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,382, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed May 27,1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Lubrioators, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention is an improved automatic lubricator adapted for direct application to standard car-axle boxes.

It comprises a reservoir havinga base which takes the place of the usual axle-box lid and a duct which combines with a channeled bearing-block adapted for distributing the lubricant to the journal, the reservoir containing a removable oil-cup having a port normally closed by a ball-valve which is sustained by a coiled spring, forming a closed column, one end of the spring being embedded in the peculiarly-constructed valve, while the other end is adj ustably supported.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will more fully appear by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective of a usual form of axle box to which the improvements are adapted to be applied. Fig. 2 is a front per-' spective view of a reservoir containing the improvements applied to a standard axle-box. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of a reservoir containing the improvements. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the preferred form of the improvements. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the journal-bearing shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a modified form of reservoir applied to a second form of journal-box. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View in illustration of the construction shown externally in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the ball-valve.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the journal-box 1, of usual construction, has its lid 2 removed, and the reservoir 3 has its base 4: inserted in place thereof. The reservoir is provided with the apertured lugs 5, through which and the usual apertured lug (5 of the journal-box the bolt 7 is passed. A lug 8 on the reservoir has the screw 0 passed Serial No. 109,133. (No model.)

therethrough and run down. until it engages the lug 6, by which the mechanism is firmly locked in place and the parts secured against tampering. The reservoir is provided with the duct 10, which leads through the nozzle 11 to the lip 12 of the bearing-block 13, the lip being provided with a cup 141, from which channels 15 and 16 lead to the journal 17.

Within the reservoir the oil-cup 18 is supported and has its port 19 normally closed by the weighted ball-valve 20, the ball-valve being held up against its seat by the coiled spring 21, supported by the lid 22. The ballvalve comprises the hollow sphere or shell 20, through an aperture in which the open coils 21 of the spring are inserted. The shell and the open coils'are filled with a heavy metal which will not shrink, such as babbitt, but close and weight the valve, while firmly securing the spring. Exterior to the ball the spring 21 has its coils closed, so as to form a flexible column with a substantially solid wall, the top of the spring being connected with a shank 23, which passes through the lid or top 22 and is adjustably held thereto by the nut 24, adapted for varying the pressure of the ball upon its seat. The substantiallysolid but flexible column prevents appreciable contraction in the spring at its normal state, but permits the elongation necessary for varying the pressure of the valve upon its seat or its so moving by the vibrations to which it is subjected as to permit the lubricant to feed at the rate required as determined by the vibrations and adjustment of the tension upon the valve. The reservoir is closed and the lid 22 held down by the cover 3.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the construction may be varied, so that the axle-box 1 receives a reservoir having a base 4:, provided with lugs 5, which are engaged with the axle-box lugs 6 by the bolts 9'. The reservoir is provided with a nozzle 11, beneath which the journal 17 extends, the latter being lubricated by the delivery of the lubricant thereto from the channeled bearing 13, upon which the nozzle 11 discharges.

These improvements provideaconstruction by which an automatic lubricator may be directly applied to existing journal structures,

making a dust-proof inclosure for the lubricant and journal mechanism, an improved automatic delivery for the lubricant, and means of sealing the journal mechanism against unauthorized interferences and of preventing the undesired opening of the journal-box.

It has been proposed to support a lubricating device on a journal-box lid by means of a hollow connection through which and a spout the oil would be delivered to the journal; but such a device is not sufficiently compact to be practicable, would readily break, could not be properly secured, and the lubricating-duct would quickly clog. These de-' fects are overcome by constructing the base of the receptacle to take the place of the usual lid, supporting the lubricating mechanism directly on the journal-box, and providing the base with a short nozzle having little tendency to clog.

Having thus described the invention, it is desired to claim' 1. The combination of a journal-box having a lug thereon, with a reservoir having a lug thereon adapted to be engaged with the lug of said journal-box, an inclined base on said reservoir directly below the same and adapted to form a lid for said journal-box, means for securing said reservoir-base seated on said journal-box, a short nozzle formed in said base, and a journal-bearing adapted to receive and distribute the lubricant delivered from said reservoir by said nozzle, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a journal-box, a reservoir hinged to said box and having a base adapted to serve as a lid therefor, a lug on said reservoir, and a set-screw engaging said lug and journal-box for fixing said reservoir, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 22d day of May, A. D. 1902.

ALBERT A. FREEMAN.

Witnesses:

G. B. KIRKBRIDE, JOSIAH K. FREEMAN. 

